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List of torpedo boat classes of the Royal Navy

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This is a list of torpedo boat classes of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, organised chronologically by entry into service. This article's coverage is restricted to the steam-powered torpedo boats built for or acquired by the British Navy between 1876 (the date on which the Admiralty ordered the first torpedo boat to carry the self-propelled Whitehead torpedo) and 1905; the final batch of 36 steam-turbine-powered torpedo boats from 1906 to 1908 were originally rated as coastal destroyers and will be found under Cricket-class destroyers, while later torpedo boats introduced during World War 1, powered by internal combustion engines, will be found under Motor Torpedo Boats.

Torpedo boats

[edit]

Ever since the first use of spar torpedoes in the American Civil War and the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78), the world's sea powers continued to refine the small torpedo craft concept to employ the new automobile torpedoes (Whitehead torpedoes) that could continue the legacy of small and relatively inexpensive vessels able to challenge much larger vessels. The Royal Navy purchased 1st and 2nd class torpedo boats for offensive and defensive combat roles, respectively.

Later – especially to counter the French automobile defense – the British Navy primarily ordered torpedo boat catchers (or torpedo gunboats), which proved too slow for the task of dealing with torpedo boats, and subsequently torpedo boat destroyers (TBDs) - or destroyers as they soon became called.

1st class torpedo boats

[edit]

First class torpedo boats were designed for independent inshore operations. They were small, but large enough to patrol coastal waters and enjoy some limited endurance beyond their supporting port or tender. Nevertheless, they were found to be deployed overseas - notably to the Mediterranean - and eventually worldwide.

Lightning-design

[edit]
  • John I. Thornycroft & Company, Chiswick. The first torpedo boat, TB.1 (originally called Lightning), was ordered on 26 January 1876 and underwent trials on 22 May 1877; her dimensions were slightly different from her successors (TB.2 - TB.12) which were all ordered on 3 October 1877 and notably deleted the coach roof of the prototype.
Number Builder[1] Yard
No.[2]
Launched Disposal
TB.1 Thornycroft 47 1877 Sold for scrap 1896
TB.2 Thornycroft 71 1878 Sold for scrap 1897
TB.3 Thornycroft 72 1878 Sold for scrap by 1906
TB.4 Thornycroft 73 1879 Sold for merchant use 1905,
renamed Rocket
TB.5 Thornycroft 74 1879 Sold for scrap 1897
TB.6 Thornycroft 75 1879 Sold for scrap 1906 at Capetown
TB.7 Thornycroft 76 1879 Sold for merchant use 1904,
renamed Mosquito
TB.8 Thornycroft 77 1879 Sold for scrap 1903 at Hong Kong
TB.9 Thornycroft 78 1879 Sold for scrap 1900 at Malta
TB.10 Thornycroft 79 1879 Sold for scrap 1904 at Malta
TB.11 Thornycroft 80 1880 Sold for scrap 1904
TB.12 Thornycroft 81 1880 Sold for scrap 1904

These two boats were ordered for Russia, but were purchased by the British Admiralty during the Russo-Turkish war scare.

Number Builder Yard
No.
Launched Disposal
TB.17 Yarrow 419 1878 Sold for scrap in 1907 at Malta
TB.18 Yarrow 420 1878 Sold for scrap in 1902 at Gibraltar
  • J. Samuel White, Cowes
    • TB.19
  • G. & J. Rennie, Paisley
    • TB.20
  • Des Vignes, Chertsey
    • TB.21 – not accepted from RN because of lack of performance; the number was thus re-used for the first of the 113-footer group.

113-Footers

[edit]

On 10 December 1883 the Admiralty wrote both to John I. Thornycroft & Company and to Yarrow & Company asking them to tender for one or more improved First Class torpedo boats.

TB.21 class

[edit]

on 21 December 1883 Thornycroft replied forwarding their design HO 1992 and the specification in accordance with the Admiralty's letter. The dimensions were similar to those of the Sookhoun (Yard number 167, built 1882 for the Imperial Russian Navy) and the Childers (Yard number 172, built 1882 for the Victorian Government in Australia). Two boats were ordered by the Admiralty on 19 January 1884 for delivery in 9 and 10 months respectively. They ran trials on 30 April and 25 May 1885 respectively.

Number Builder Yard
No.
Launched Disposal
TB.21 Thornycroft 201 18 March 1885 Sold for scrap in 1907 at Malta
TB.22 Thornycroft 202 5 May 1885 Sold for scrap in 1907 at Malta

TB.23 class

[edit]

The Admiralty similarly placed orders with Yarrow for two boats (built at Poplar).

Number Builder Yard
No.
Launched Disposal
TB.23 Yarrow 666 1886 Sold for scrap in 1905
TB.24 Yarrow 667 1886 Sold for scrap in 1904

125-Footers

[edit]

All 53 boats of this group (TB.25 to TB.79, excluding TB.39 and TB.40) carried 5 x 14-in torpedo tubes (one bow tube plus two pairs of deck tubes) and a complement of 16. Alternatively they could carry a gun armament of two 3-pounders and four MGs in lieu of the deck tubes. The bow tubes were later removed.

TB.25 class

[edit]
TB.25 / TB.41 class
Class overview
BuildersThornycroft
Completed25
Lost3
Scrapped22
General characteristics [3]
Displacement
  • 60 long tons (61 t) normal
  • 93 long tons (94 t) deep load
Length125 ft (38.10 m) pp
Beam12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Draught6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Propulsion700 ihp (520 kW)
Speed20.25 kn (37.50 km/h; 23.30 mph)
Complement16
Armament
  • 3 × 2-barrelled Nordenfelt 1-in MGs
  • 5 × 14-inch torpedo tubes

The first of these boats was ordered from Thornycroft on 24 February 1885, and another four boats were ordered on 30/31 March 1885.

Number Builder Yard
No.
Launched Disposal
TB.25 Thornycroft 212 7 October 1885 Sold for scrap October 1919
TB.26 Thornycroft 218 22 October 1885 Sold for scrap 2 October 1919
TB.27 Thornycroft 219 26 October 1885 Sold for scrap 2 October 1919
TB.28 Thornycroft 220 7 November 1885 Expended as a target at Cape Town in 1898
TB.29 Thornycroft 221 19 November 1885 Sold for scrap at Cape Town 1 July 1919

TB.30 class

[edit]
  • Yarrow & Company, Limited (1885–86)

These four boats were ordered on 30/31 March 1885.

Number Builder Yard
No.
Completed Disposal
TB.30 Yarrow 708 1886 Sold for scrap ca. 1905
TB.31 Yarrow 709 1886 Sold for scrap 1913
TB.32 Yarrow 710 1886 Sold for scrap ca. 1905
TB.33 Yarrow 711 1886 Sold for scrap 1 August 1919

TB.34 class

[edit]
  • J. Samuel White (1885–87). Based on White's TB.19 with "turnabout" stern but enlarged and built with more beam than the Thornycroft and Yarrow boats. All five took part in the 1887 Naval Review. TB.34 spent all her life in Home waters, but TB.35 and TB.36 sailed in March 1888 for the China Station, followed later by TB.37 and TB.38; these four spent all their lives on this station and were eventually sold together at Hong Kong in 1919.
Number Builder[1] Yard
No.[4]
Completed Disposal
TB.34 White 683 August 1886 Sold for scrap 2 October 1919
TB.35 White 684 January 1887 Sold for scrap 27 November 1919
TB.36 White 685 February 1887 Sold for scrap 27 November 1919
TB.37 White 686 February 1887 Sold for scrap 27 November 1919
TB.38 White 687 March 1887 Sold for scrap 27 November 1919

100-Footers (purchases)

[edit]
  • Yarrow & Company, Limited. These two boats of 40 tons each were ordered for the Chilean Navy as Glaura and Fresia, but were purchased by the British Navy in 1888 and deployed to the West coast of Canada.
Number Builder Yard
No.
Completed Disposal
TB.39 Yarrow 511 1882 Sold for scrap 2.1905 at Esquimault
TB.40 Yarrow 525 1882 Sold for scrap 2.1905 at Esquimault

TB.41 class

[edit]
  • John I. Thornycroft & Company (1886)

These twenty boats were ordered on 30 April or 1 May 1885, and were identical with the previous four Thornycroft boats.

Number Builder Yard
No.
Launched[1] Disposal
TB.41 Thornycroft 222 1885 Sold for scrap 1 August 1919
TB.42 Thornycroft 223 4 December 1885 Sold for scrap 2 October 1919
TB.43 Thornycroft 224 1885 Sold for scrap at Malta 18 December 1919
TB.44 Thornycroft 225 1885 Sold for scrap at Malta 18 December 1919
TB.45 Thornycroft 226 21 December 1885 Sold for scrap 1 August 1919
TB.46 Thornycroft 227 4 January 1886 Wrecked 27 December 1915 in Mediterranean,
but salved and sold for scrap 1920
TB.47 Thornycroft 228 28 June 1886 Sold for scrap ca. 1908
TB.48 Thornycroft 229 1886 Sold for scrap ca. 1915
TB.49 Thornycroft 230 1886 Sold for scrap 1 August 1919
TB.50 Thornycroft 231 17 June 1886 Sold for scrap 23 February 1920
TB.51 Thornycroft 232 30 July 1886 Sold for scrap ca. 1913
TB.52 Thornycroft 233 1886 Sold for scrap 19 December 1919
TB.53 Thornycroft 234 16 August 1886 Sold for scrap 1913
TB.54 Thornycroft 235 28 August 1886 Sold for scrap 1 August 1919
TB.55 Thornycroft 236 29 August 1886 Sold for scrap 23 February 1920
TB.56 Thornycroft 237 1 October 1886 Foundered off Damietta 17 May 1906
TB.57 Thornycroft 238 2 October 1886 Sold for scrap 2 October 1919
TB.58 Thornycroft 239 18 October 1886 Sold for scrap 19 December 1919
TB.59 Thornycroft 240 11 November 1886 Sold for scrap ca. 1913
TB.60 Thornycroft 241 10 December 1886 Sold for scrap at Cape Town 1 July 1919

TB.61 class

[edit]

This batch was ordered on 30 April or 1 May 1885, one month after the TB.30 to TB.33 batch with which they were identical.
The last two (TB.79 and TB.80) differed in detail and in dimensions; the 75-ton TB.79 was 128ft 8in in oa length; the 105-ton TB.80 was 134ft 9in bp by 14ft beam.

Number Builder Yard
No.
Completed Disposal
TB.61 Yarrow 715 1886 Sold for scrap 1909
TB.62 Yarrow 716 1886 Sold for scrap 1905
TB.63 Yarrow 717 September 1886 Sold for scrap 18 December 1919 at Malta
TB.64 Yarrow 718 September 1886 Wrecked 21 March 1915 in the Aegean
TB.65 Yarrow 719 October 1886 Sold for scrap 2 October 1919
TB.66 Yarrow 720 August 1886 Sold for scrap 30 June 1920
TB.67 Yarrow 721 August 1886 Sold for scrap 27 January 1920
TB.68 Yarrow 722 August 1886 Sold for scrap 30 June 1920
TB.69 Yarrow 723 1886 Sold for scrap ca. 1906
TB.70 Yarrow 724 August 1886 Sold for scrap 18 December 1919 at Malta
TB.71 Yarrow 725 1886 Sold for scrap 5 July 1923
TB.72 Yarrow 726 July 1886 Sold for scrap 19 December 1919
TB.73 Yarrow 727 1886 Sold for scrap 6 February 1923
TB.74 Yarrow 728 December 1886 Sold for scrap 27 January 1920
TB.75 Yarrow 729 1886 Sunk 8 August 1892 in collision with TB.77.
TB.76 Yarrow 730 1886 Sold for scrap 30 June 1920
TB.77 Yarrow 731 August 1886 Sold for scrap 27 March 1920
TB.78 Yarrow 732 January 1887 Sold for scrap 2 October 1919
TB.79 Yarrow 733 December 1886 Sold for scrap 19 November 1919
TB.80 Yarrow 748 May 1887 Sold for scrap 22 October 1921
[edit]

130-Footers

[edit]

(ordered under 1887-88 Programme, as repeats of TB.79)

  • Yarrow & Company, Limited
Number Builder Yard
No.
Completed Disposal
TB.82 Yarrow 800 June 1889 Sold for scrap 27 March 1920,
then re-sold 22 October 1921.
TB.83 Yarrow 801 June 1889 Sold for scrap 12 October 1919
TB.84 Yarrow 802 1889 Sunk in collision 17 April 1906
with HMS Ardent
TB.85 Yarrow 803 September 1889 Sold for scrap 27 March 1920,
then re-sold 22 October 1921.
TB.86 Yarrow 803 September 1889 Sold for scrap 27 March 1920,
then re-sold 22 October 1921.
TB.87 Yarrow 805 September 1889 Sold for scrap 27 March 1920.

140-Footers

[edit]

Ten "140-footer" were ordered to four different builders' designs under the 1892-93 Programme. They were built in the same period as the first of the 26-knotter TBDs (torpedo boat destroyers) which rapidly superseded the traditional torpedo boat, and like them carried the new 18-in torpedoes, which marked a step-change both in size and capability. All these vessels were quickly deployed to the Mediterranean and stayed there throughout the rest of their service lives, based primarily on Gibraltar.

TB.88 class

[edit]
Number Builder Yard
No.
Completed Disposal
TB.88 Yarrow 1894 Sold for scrap 13 October 1919
TB.89 Yarrow 1894 Sold for scrap 13 October 1919
TB.90 Yarrow 1894 Capsized 25 April 1918
in heavy weather off Gibraltar

TB.91 class

[edit]

These three boats were ordered from John I. Thornycroft & Company on 4 July 1892, exactly one week after the orders were placed for Thornycroft's Daring and Decoy torpedo-boat destroyers, and thus followed them in sequence of Yard numbers.

Number Builder Yard
No.
Completed Disposal
TB.91 Thornycroft 289 1894 Sold for scrap 13 October 1919
TB.92 Thornycroft 290 1894 Sold for scrap 1920
at Gibraltar
TB.93 Thornycroft 291 1894 Sold for scrap 13 October 1919

TB.94 class

[edit]
  • J. Samuel White
Number Builder Yard
No.
Launched Disposal
TB.94 White 910 27 July 1893 Sold for scrap 13 October 1919
TB.95 White 911 1894 comp. Sold for scrap 13 October 1919
TB.96 White 912 1894 comp. Sunk in collision 1 November 1919
with s.s. Tringa off Gibraltar

TB.97

[edit]
Number Builder Yard
No.
Launched Disposal
TB.97 Laird 16 September 1893 Sold for scrap 1920
at Gibraltar

135-Footers

[edit]

(ex Royal Indian Marine boats, taken over by RN in 1892 and given numbers in 1900 instead of their original names)

  • John I. Thornycroft & Company
    • TB.100 (ex-Baluchi)
    • TB.102 (ex-Karen)
    • TB.103 (ex-Pathan)
  • Hanna, Donald & Wilson
    • TB.101 (ex-Gurkha)
  • J. Samuel White
    • TB.104 (ex-Mahratta)
    • TB.105 (ex-Sikh)
    • TB.106 (ex-Rajput)

160-Footers

[edit]

The Royal Navy's thirteen 160 Footers comprised three distinct classes, each built to their constructors' own designs.

TB.98 class

[edit]
TB.98 class
Class overview
BuildersThornycroft
Completed4
Lost0
Scrapped4
General characteristics [3]
Displacement
  • 185 long tons (188 t) normal
  • 199 long tons (202 t) deep load
Length160 ft (48.77 m) pp
Beam17 ft 0 in (5.18 m)
Draught5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Propulsion3,000 ihp (2,200 kW)
Speed25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Complement32
Armament

These four boats, discontinuously numbered because the seven boats built for the Royal Indian Marine in 1892 were given the numbers 100 to 106, were built by Thornycroft at Chiswick to a common design. The first two (Yard numbers 346 and 347) were ordered on 21 November 1899 under the 1899-1900 Programme and were completed in July 1902. The later pair (Yard numbers 351 and 352) were ordered on 25 April 1900 under the 1900-1901 Programme and were completed in September 1902.

Number Builder Launched[1] Trials [5] Notes[1]
TB.98 Thornycroft 22 January 1901 16 May 1901 Sold for scrap 30 June 1920
TB.99 Thornycroft early 1901 10 June 1901 Sank 19 June 1907 off Berry Head, but salvaged and returned to service in 1909;[6]
Sold for scrap 29 July 1920
TB.107 Thornycroft 2 July 1901 23 September 1901 Sold for scrap 29 July 1920
TB.108 Thornycroft 30 August 1901 18 November 1901 Sold for scrap 29 July 1920

TB.109 class

[edit]
TB.109 class
Class overview
BuildersThornycroft
Completed5
Lost0
Scrapped5
General characteristics [3]
Displacement
  • 200 long tons (200 t) normal
  • 199 long tons (202 t) deep load
Length164 ft 9 in (50.22 m) wl
Beam17 ft 3 in (5.26 m)
Draught5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Propulsion3,050 ihp (2,270 kW)
Speed25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Complement32
Armament

Five more Thornycroft boats were built under the 1901-02 Programme to a different design, about 7% greater in displacement and being four feet longer than the TB.98 boats. The first four of these boats were ordered from Thornycroft on 11 November 1901, and the fifth on 14 December 1901. Their yard numbers were 359 to 363 respectively.

Number Builder[1] Launched[1] Trials [7] Disposal[1]
TB.109 Thornycroft 22 July 1902 18 February 1903 Sold for scrap 27 March 1920
TB.110 Thornycroft 5 September 1902 20 February 1903 Sold for scrap 27 March 1920
TB.111 Thornycroft 31 October 1902 24 March 1903 Sold for scrap 10 February 1920
TB.112 Thornycroft 15 January 1903 23 April 1903 Sold for scrap 10 February 1920
TB.113 Thornycroft 12 February 1903 7 June 1903 Sold for scrap 19 December 1919

TB.114 class

[edit]
TB.114 class
Class overview
BuildersWhite
Completed4
Lost1
Scrapped3
General characteristics [3]
Displacement
  • 219 long tons (223 t) light
  • 199 long tons (202 t) deep load
Length165 ft 9 in (50.52 m) bp
Beam17 ft 6 in (5.33 m)
Draught5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Propulsion3,050 ihp (2,270 kW)
Speed25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Complement32
Armament

The remaining four boats, similar in scale to the TB.109 models, were constructed by J. Samuel White at Cowes, and were all commissioned on 3 January 1905.

Number Builder[1] Yard No. Launched[1] Disposal[1]
TB.114 J Samuel White 1155 8 June 1903 Sold for scrap 1919
TB.115 J Samuel White 1156 19 November 1903 Sold for scrap 1919
TB.116 J Samuel White 1157 21 December 1903 Sold for scrap 22 October 1921
TB.117 J Samuel White 1158 18 February 1904 Sunk following collision with merchant vessel
ss Kamourska in English Channel 10 June 1917
(3 killed)[8]

Cricket class

[edit]

No further 1st Class torpedo boats were ordered until 1905, when twelve new vessels were projected to meet the needs for coastal defence. Such new torpedo boats were proposed in December 1904 to be vessels not exceeding 165ft in length and 250 tons, carrying two 12-pounder guns and three torpedo tubes, and capable of 26 knots for 8 hours with an endurance of 1,000 nautical miles at 15 knots. Such criteria would have closely paralleled the original 27-knotter torpedo-boat destroyers of 1893-4, although the new type were to have steam turbines and oil fuel, and so the new ships were quickly re-designated as 'coastal destroyers'. Thornycroft, Yarrow and White were invited to tender, and each produced plans for a three-shaft propulsion with an astern turbine on the centre shaft; each project was larger than first required, being between 175ft and 180ft in length. These twelve coastal destroyers, given names rather than simply numbers, were ordered under the 1905-06 Programme to the three builders' own designs. In October 1906 these were re-classified as torpedo boats and their original names were replaced by the numbers TB.1 to TB.12. To avoid confusion with the surviving early 1st Class torpedo boats, those survivors bearing numbers up to TB.79 inclusive were renumbered to include a "0" before the number (e.g. TB.79 became TB.079). Twelve more of these new torpedo boats were ordered in the 1906-07 Programme, to enlarged designs, and a final twelve in the 1907-08 Programme; these were numbered TB.13 to TB.36.

2nd class torpedo boats

[edit]
2nd Class torpedo boat, with the TB depot ship HMS Hecla in the background

These 74 small (generally 60ft to 66ft in length) torpedo boats were to be carried on larger ships or given to dedicated torpedo boat carriers, such as HMS Vulcan and HMS Hecla. With a single (US-built) exception, all were constructed by Thornycroft at Chiswick (45 boats), by Yarrow at Poplar (16 boats) or by White at Cowes (12 boats, with wooden hulls). These boats were designed as harbour defence and coastal boats, but their small size meant their endurance and sea-keeping abilities would be quite modest. Note that their numbering was in a separate sequence from that of the 1st Class boats. Similar boats were built for the naval services of New Zealand (4 boats) and the Australian colonies of Victoria (3 boats), Queensland (2 boats), and Tasmania (1 boat); all of these were built by Thornycroft.

Thornycroft 2nd class orders 1877

[edit]
  • John I. Thornycroft & Company. 60ft Length overall, and 10.75 tons. Ordered 3 October 1877, completed 1878 (first six) and 1879 (last six). The first four were attached to HMS Hecla after their completion.[9]
Number Builder Yard
number
Launched Disposal
TB.51 Thornycroft 82 October 1878 Sold for scrap 1907
TB.52 Thornycroft 83 October 1878 Sold for scrap 1904
TB.53 Thornycroft 84 September 1878 Sold for scrap 1904
TB.54 Thornycroft 85 October 1878 Sold for scrap 1904
TB.55 Thornycroft 86 December 1878 Sold for scrap 1902
TB.56 Thornycroft 87 December 1878 Sold for scrap 1904
TB.57 Thornycroft 88 June 1879 Sold for scrap 1904
TB.58 Thornycroft 89 February 1879 Sold for scrap 1902
TB.59 Thornycroft 90 February 1879 Sold for scrap 1902
TB.60 Thornycroft 91 June 1879 Sold for scrap 1902
TB.61 Thornycroft 92 September 1879 Sold for scrap 1902
TB.62 Thornycroft 93 September 1879 Foundered in North America
21 October 1890, in tow of HMS Buzzard

Herreschoff purchase

[edit]

Thornycroft 2nd class orders 1879

[edit]
  • John I. Thornycroft & Company. An improvement on the previous batch, being 62ft 10in in length and 13 tons. Ordered 27 May 1879 or 11 July 1879, completed 1880 (first two) and 1881-82 (other eight).[10]
Number Builder Yard
number
Trial
date[11]
Disposal
TB.64 Thornycroft 104 16 July 1880 Sold for scrap ?1907
TB.65 Thornycroft 105 12 July 1880 Sold for scrap 1907
TB.66 Thornycroft 106 4 January 1882 Sold for scrap 1905
TB.67 Thornycroft 107 10 January 1882 Sold for scrap 1905
TB.68 Thornycroft 108 27 February 1882 Transferred to Newfoundland
TB.69 Thornycroft 109 17 October 1881 Sold for scrap 1906
TB.70 Thornycroft 110 23 August 1881 Sold for scrap 1906
TB.71 Thornycroft 111 3 March 1882 Sold for scrap 1909
TB.72 Thornycroft 112 23 February 1881 Sold for scrap 1898
TB.73 Thornycroft 113 23 February 1881 Sold for scrap 1905

Yarrow & Company TB.74 Class

[edit]
Number Builder Yard
number
Launched Disposal
TB.74 Yarrow 457 1883 Sold for scrap 1906
TB.75 Yarrow 456 1883 Sold for scrap 1903

Thornycroft 2nd class orders 1880

[edit]
  • John I. Thornycroft & Company. Ordered 28 February 1880 (contract 3 March 1880). The first two (TB.76 and TB.77) differed from the others by being fitted experimentally with the Herreschoff spiral water tube boiler (first seen in Royal Navy service with 2nd Class TB.63 built by Herreschoff).
Number Builder Yard
number
Launch
date[12]
Trial
date[13]
Disposal
TB.76 Thornycroft 117 3 January 1883 12 Match 1883 Sold for scrap 1906
TB.77 Thornycroft 118 24 January 1883 10 March 1883 Sold for scrap 1906
TB.78 Thornycroft 119 December 1882 9 December 1882 Sold for scrap 1906
TB.79 Thornycroft 120 16 January 1882 21 January 1882 Sold for scrap 1902
TB.80 Thornycroft 121 September 1882 20 September 1882 Sold for scrap 1907
TB.81 Thornycroft 122 5 October 1882 27 October 1882 Sold for scrap 1902
TB.82 Thornycroft 123 17 October 1882 27 October 1882 Sold for scrap 1906
TB.83 Thornycroft 124 11 November 1882 7 December 1882 Sold for scrap 1898
TB.84 Thornycroft 125 24 November 1882 8 December 1882 Sold for scrap 1904
TB.85 Thornycroft 126 17 January 1883 5 February 1883 Sold for scrap by 1912
TB.86 Thornycroft 127 1 February 1883 6 February 1883 Sold for scrap by 1912
TB.87 Thornycroft 128 17 February 1883 2 March 1883 Sold for scrap 1905
TB.88 Thornycroft 129 20 February 1883 3 March 1883 Sold for scrap by 1912
TB.89 Thornycroft 130 2 March 1883 13 March 1883 Sold for scrap 1907
TB.90 Thornycroft 131 3 March 1883 8 March 1883 Sold for scrap 1902
TB.91 Thornycroft 132 9 March 1883 14 March 1883 Sold for scrap 1902
TB.92 Thornycroft 133 4 April 1883 10 April 1883 Sold for scrap 1902
TB.93 Thornycroft 134 5 April 1883 11 April 18832 Sold for scrap 1898
TB.94 Thornycroft 135 18 April 1883 23 April 1883 Sold for scrap 1906
TB.95 Thornycroft 136 20 April 1883 25 April 1883 Sold for scrap 1912

Yarrow & Company TB.96 Class

[edit]
Number Builder Yard
number
Completed Disposal[14]
TB.96 Yarrow 495 1883 Sold for scrap 1906
TB.97 Yarrow 510 1883 Sold for scrap 1902

Thornycroft water-jet propelled 2nd class

[edit]

This was an experimental craft designed by Nathaniel Barnaby (when chief naval architect for Thornycroft). Ordered 21 December 1880.[15]

Number Builder Yard
number
Launched Disposal
TB.98 Thornycroft 141 13 September 1883 Fate unknown

Thornycroft 2nd class orders 1884

[edit]
  • John I. Thornycroft & Company. Ordered 17 November 1884.
Number Builder Yard
number
Launched Disposal
TB.99 Thornycroft 207 28 September 1885 Sold for scrap 1907
TB.100 Thornycroft 208 5 April 1886 Sold for scrap 22 October 1908

Yarrow & Company TB.39 Class

[edit]
Number Builder Yard
number
Completed Disposal
TB.39 Yarrow 806 1889 Sold for scrap 1907
TB.40 Yarrow 807 1889 Sold for scrap 1907
TB.41 Yarrow 808 1889 Sold for scrap 1907
TB.42 Yarrow 809 1889 Sold for scrap 1907
TB.43 Yarrow 810 1889 Sold for scrap 1907
TB.44 Yarrow 811 1889 Sold for scrap 1907
TB.45 Yarrow 812 1889 Sold for scrap 1912
TB.46 Yarrow 813 1889 Sold for scrap 1912
TB.47 Yarrow 814 1889 Sold for scrap 1912
TB.48 Yarrow 915 1889 Sold for scrap 1912

Yarrow & Company TB.49 Class

[edit]
Number Builder Yard
number
Completed Disposal[16]
TB.49 Yarrow 765 1888 Sold for scrap 1906
TB.50 Yarrow 764 1888 Sold for scrap 1904

J. Samuel White wood TBs

[edit]

The first nine were ordered in 1883, another two in 1887, and the last in 1888. Unlike the Thornycroft and Yarrow boats, they were wooden-hulled and were precursors of the 56ft steam pinnaces which superseded the Second Class steel boats (in a multi-role function).[17]

Number Builder Yard
number
Launched Disposal
WTB.1 White 587 1883 Sold for scrap by 1905
WTB.2 White 588 1883 Sold for scrap 1900
WTB.3 White 591 1883 Sold for scrap by 1905
WTB.4 White 592 1883 Sold for scrap by 1905
WTB.5 White 602 1883 Sold for scrap 1909
WTB.6 White 603 1884 Sold for scrap by 1907
WTB.7 White 605 1884 Sold for scrap by 1905
WTB.8 White 646 1885 Sold for scrap by 1905
WTB.9 White 647 1885 Sold for scrap 1912
WTB.10 White 731 1887 Sold for scrap by 1905
WTB.11 White 732 1887 Sold for scrap 1912
WTB.12 White 745 1888 Sold for scrap 1910

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Dittmar and Colledge 1972, p. 80.
  2. ^ David Lyon, The Thornycroft List (1981).
  3. ^ a b c d Friedman 2009, p. 289.
  4. ^ David L. Williams, White's of Cowes (Silver Link Publishing, 1993)
  5. ^ David Lyon, The Thornycroft List (1981)
  6. ^ Roberts 1979, p. 104.
  7. ^ David Lyon, The Thornycroft List (1981)
  8. ^ Kindell, Don. "1st - 30th JUNE 1917: in date, ship/unit & name order". World War 1 - Casualty Lists of the Royal Navy and Dominion Navies. naval-history.net. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  9. ^ Winfield & Lyon, The Sail and Steam Navy List (2004), p.313.
  10. ^ Winfield & Lyon, The Sail and Steam Navy List (2004), p.313.
  11. ^ David Lton, The Thornycroft list (1981).
  12. ^ David Lyon, The Thornycroft list (1981).
  13. ^ David Lyon, The Thornycroft list (1981).
  14. ^ Winfield & Lyon, The Sail and Steam Navy List (2004), p.313-314.
  15. ^ David Lyon, The Thornycroft List, 1981.
  16. ^ Winfield & Lyon, The Sail and Steam Navy List (2004), p.315.
  17. ^ Winfield & Lyon, The Sail and Steam Navy List (2004), p.315.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Brown, Les (2023). Royal Navy Torpedo Vessels. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-3990-2285-9.
  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben & Bush, Steve (2020). Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present (5th revised and updated ed.). Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5267-9327-0.
  • Dittmar, F.J. and Colledge, J.J. British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan, 1972. ISBN 0-7110-0380-7.
  • Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers From Earliest Days to the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-081-8.
  • Roberts, John (1979). "Great Britain (including Empire Forces)". In Chesneau, Roger & Kolesnik, Eugene M. (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. Greenwich: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 1–113. ISBN 0-8317-0302-4.
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